Beast Tamer
by 3alexbalex
Summary: Hunter is a beast Tamer, well he doesn't know that. He loves animals and has a love for his ferret Myrill
1. Hunter

"Hunter, can you run downstairs and feed the pigs?"

I hear my dad calling out to me, but she knew I was more than likely not going to do so. But my ferret was eager to go outside, so I decided why not? You more than likely think it's strange for me to have a ferret, let alone one that lives to sit on my shoulder like everywhere. Ferrets don't stink, they only go outside so they are pretty good pets, well for me anyway. Animals seem to love me, my dad claims it's a "gift" but I think it's just a skill. My ferret was now nudging my shoulder trying to tell me to go outside. I wish it could talk because I've been with it for around 12 years. It's funny how I met her, my ferret. I was playing in the fields behind our family's farm when it just came out of the woods and sat next to me, my dad was freaking out because he thought it had rabies and telling me to get away from it. But, I snuck it inside with me and borrowed a cage from my friend Adaline because her family owned a pet store. My dad soon found out about my ferret but I convinced him to let me keep it.

I named him Myrill because at the time, Adaline wanted me to name her that. I don't remember much about my mom, but from what my dad told me she was a kind woman who persuaded my dad to buy the farm. After I was born, she got cancer and died. And sadly, that is pretty much all I know about her. So I let Myril climb onto my shoulders and I walk downstairs to the kitchen.

"Hey Hunter, I need you to feed the pigs and then can you go out to the shed and get the harvesting tools?"

My dad said after taking a sip of his tea. It was autumn and I wasn't in school, Why? Because my dad loved me being away from society and decided to homeschool me. The only friend I really have is Adaline because she lives down the road from me and is home schooled as well. The feed for the pigs had to be missing from the garage so I had to trek to the garden shed a long way into the forest. My dad never told me why it was so far into the woods, but from what he told me I came to figure out that my dad and mom loved spending time out there.

The path to the shed was an overgrown one to say the least. It was cracked and eroded, uneven and latticed with grass. But it looked nice that way and dad never bothered to fix it. But of course, since the path was uneven my foot got stuck under a root and I went tumbling down head over heels.

"Haha, you're so clumsy Hunter." I heard Adeline's voice behind me and turned around to see your trying to braid her auburn locks into a braid while trying to stalk me.

"At least I don't stalk people in the forest." I said and chuckled.

"Ha ha ha, very funny. But I was bored today and my parents locked me out so I guess you are stuck with me." She said to me with a mischievous tone of voice.

"Well, we better start actually going to the shed if we want to get there."

"I never knew why your father built it so far away."

"Adal-." I was cut short because A rustling sound from behind Adaline caught my attention and Myril started nudging my neck.

"What is it Hunter?" She asked me, curiosity raising the tone of the last letter.

I never got the chance to respond as a massive snake came jumping out of a bush. I froze in panic as it leaped for me and was even more surprised when she tossed me a stick with two blunt metal ends.

"whats this?" I asked, panicking because the giant snake was swiftly slithering towards us.

"A quarter staff, now run."

She told me and grabbed my arm, dragging me while Myrill was digging its claws into my shirt.

"What is that thing doing here, and more importantly, what is it?"

"A basilisk and I don't have time to explain. So we should continue running."

"Good idea."

I responded. I turned around after running for about 10 minutes hoping to have lost the basilisk. But we didn't and we were now lost in the forest. It couldn't have gotten any worse. But It did, at least I thought it did when a gray wolf appeared out of the woods, jumping in front of us.

"Wolfs don't live in California."I said.

"Well, a basilisk is chasing us."

"Fair point." I was nervous because the wolf just jumped in front of me and stood there staring down the basilisk.

"Don't things that look at basilisks in the eye just die or something?" I asked.

"It's not exactly alive, so to speak."

"A ghost?"

"Kind of."

"Please explain to me more once we escape the basilisk."

"Okay, I will."

The two of them ran through the forest hand in hand jumping over roots and rocks trying to outrun the basilisk.

"I don't think we will be able to outrun it, we will have to kill it somehow."

"Hmm I don't really want you to get close to it with the quarter staff... But, grath could" Her voice sounded like she was asking herself a question

"Grath is the wolf right?" Almost as if Grath could understand me he appeared to look at me then nod, but I really couldn't tell.

"Yea he is, but I need you to do something."

"What is this something?"

"Slam the quarter staff into the ground and think of wolves, lots of them, Grath will help"

"Why?"

"Just do it, we don't have much time." I tried not to look at the basilisk in the eye while it was slithering towards us getting closer and closer each moment I spent looking at it.

'Hurry!" Adaline screamed.

I slammed the staff into the ground and thought of Grath's gray coat and a pack of wolves hunting in a blizzard. I almost blacked out then but before I did, I heard Grath howl into the sky and these wolf creatures just showed up from the trees. I mean it's hard to explain and all but I could swear they were made from vines. About 40 of them charged the basilisk and all their blindingly luminescent eyes must have stunned the basilisk because Grath took this opportunity and charged the basilisk head on.

"What is he doing! He'll get himself killed!"

"Don't worry, He'll be fine."

"What do you mean."

"Just trust me."

"Wait, how will a wolf kill a huge basilisk, please tell me."

"Poison. He has poison Hunter."

"Of course he does. I watched as Grath ran up to the stunned basilisk and jumped onto a rock to launch himself at it's head. With an echoing **_Thunk_** the basilisk started to um, How do I explain this, it's kind of strange really. It just turned to dust, leaving a few scales of snake behind. I frantically reached for Myrill hoping he was still there and sighed in relief as I felt his smooth brown fur.


	2. Ribbons

"Come on, we need to go now." She told me, brushing her shoulder length brown hair out of her leaf green eyes.

"Well, we killed it, I think we should be safe."

"Yes, how do u think it found us?"

"Did it like track us or something?"

"Listen, I don't have time for this, we need to leave."

Almost as if on cue Grath turned to me. He then turned around and looked at the forest followed by Myrill nudging my shoulder almost exactly like before.

"See, even the spirits think we should leave. But ah, those scales would make lovely boots, or even a handbag! I can imagine it now, Basilisk boots!"

"Okay Adaline, I think you should go like you said before you went all fashionista."

"Good idea, now if my gps is correct… Ah hah! We should be in… Florida!"

'How does that work, we were in California like 5 minutes ago."

"Hunter, this forest isn't influence by time or-

She was cut off before she could finish her sentence before she could finish by a looming shadow cast over her. I was about to say something but I was distracted as I saw Grath barking at the shadow. Almost instantly I was interrupted yet again by jet black ribbons extending from the shadows, wrapping around her ankles.

"ADALINE!" I screamed as more ribbons started wrapping themselves further along her legs, almost like a shadowy cocoon.

They started appearing faster and faster, weaving themselves around Adaline's torso, they started making their way along her arms, trying to shake them off she screamed as they wrapped tighter around her. I tried to do something but my feet were frozen in place, and I don't mean by fear, I mean I couldn't move them, I tried taking off my shoes as if that would help but I looked up at her but Adaline just staring at me, tears forming in her beautiful green eyes.

"Run." I had to stop myself from crying as the ribbons pulled her into the shadow.

I began running, not from the darkness but from myself. I was so upset at myself for just watching her being taken away from me, I hadn't even said goodbye. I was surprised when I looked to my left and found Grath keeping up pace with me, and found comfort at Myrill's smooth fur.

I cursed myself because I left the staff behind, but I didn't care about it. I cared about finding Adaline, I ran further, for all the times she helped me. I ran further because I was so scared, I ran further because I knew she wanted me safe. I remembered the tears in her eyes as she told me to run, her words putting new energy into my legs.

I fell when my foot slipped on a rock, I knew I was far enough from that thing so I just laid there, not caring about my appearance I began sobbing into my hands, my body shaking with sorrow. I must have fallen asleep because the last thing I remembered was Myrill curling up next to me.

"Hey Percy, do you think he's awake yet, I kind of want to leave him, he doesn't look like the one Chiron sent us for." I fluttered my eyes open at the sound of the feminine voice.

"How does Chiron even know what he looks like?" He responded sounding sarcastic.

"He said you'd know when you've seen him." She said, almost completely ignoring my groan.

"Oh look, he's awake, good morning sunshine." A teenager, I assumed to be Percy said as we locked eyes.

"Rib-ri-ribbons" I managed to moan out, my body completely lacking strength.

"Hmm, he doesn't seem all strong and mightyfull to me." The girl responded, crossing her arms.

"Hey person, do you know anyone named hunter?" She asked me.

"Even if I did, why would I tell you? You could be a thief." I said and she looked offended.

"A thief? If it wasn't for ME you'd be eaten by that snake.

"By the way, It's called a basilisk. And you never killed it, Grath did." I said, trying to sound smart.

"Ha, I know it's a basilisk, but Grath, who in Zeus's name is Grath?" She told me, growing frustrated.

"It's my kickass wolf." I responded, still lying on the ground.

"Please tell me how you know the creature was a basilisk." The girl responded, growing tired of my attitude.

"Well Adaline.." I responded, but a feeling of guilt swept through me, it more than likely was plastered across my face.

"What's wrong and who's Adaline?" She responded almost thinking I was lying.

"Why do you ask so many questions, are you the police?"

"I don't have time for this, but PLEASE tell me what happened."

"Fine, if you want the truth, you won't believe me."

"You don't even know…" Her voice trailing off.

"Okay so, you wanted to know so I'll tell you. So me and Adaline, she's a friend by the way, were walking to my fathers shed to get some pig stuff and we were attacked by a giant snake, Adaline informed me it was a basilisk and handed me a quarter staff." I gasped aloud as I felt it materialize at my side.

"Okay Annabeth, I think he Is the one Chiron sent us for, and we heard enough by the way. And you are coming with us." Percy noted.

"I'm not going anywhere until we find Adaline, she saved me so I have to save her." I responded and locked eyes with Percy.

"Fine, but tell us what happened to her." Annabeth responded.

"Well, soon after Grath slayed the basilisk, we were walking along in the forest, trying to find a way out. But we were interrupted because a shadow was cast over her. Black ribbons emerged from the shadows, wrapping around Adaline, pulling her back into the shadows. My feet were stuck to the ground so I could not do anything to stop it. I started running for heaven knows how long and I ended up here, with you."

Annabeth's face was busy as if she was deep in thought. Percy looked at me in my eyes, sighed then said,

"Well, I don't think your lying but what exactly Is Grath?"

"All I know is that he is a wolf spirit thing and he follows me around and helps me, same with Myrill, the ferret." I told Percy.

"Anything else?" Percy added.

"That's all I know sorry, I have a headache and Adaline never explained it all to me." I said, propping myself up against a tree.

"It's okay we will find her." Percy replied, but there was doubt in his voice.

"I know she is more than likely dead." I responded, holding back tears.

"Don't say that!" Shouted Annabeth as she handed me a cup.

"Here drink this, it will help." She said.

"I'm not drinking this, it could be poison! And what am I doing here? I don't even know you people!" I responded.

"Ugh just drink it farmer boy." Annabeth teased then rolled her eyes.

"What did you just call me?" I asked.

"Don't bother, she's always like that." Percy butted in.

I decided to take a drink, I didn't care that I never knew them, but it felt like I could trust them. As soon as the warm liquid splashed against my tongue my taste buds were overwhelmed with the taste of peanut butter milkshakes. But I almost felt as if my pain was washing away because my energy had found its way back into me almost as suddenly as it had left me.


End file.
